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What's happening in the economy? It's really hard to say. And it's hard to make decisive moves when you really don't know what's up. What we do know is that things are shifting, and we need to make a Plan A, B... and C. This episode addresses the need for planning, and how to engage your board's deep hidden talents.

You can't fake authenticity. In our nonprofit work it's the backbone of our storytelling and our ongoing relations with the world we serve. This episode talks about authenticity and signs of when that may be waning. Keep it real to stay engaged.

I've been working with an organization on their grant-getting, and it reminded me of some things that may be helpful for you and your organization. Check it!

In many smaller nonprofits the people involved are too busy to make communicating to the public a consistent priority. Yet by simply outlining a plan for an entire year, it all gets much easier. This episode is about the 'how' to talk about the 'why' of your organization.

Give Big is a statewide effort in Washington to get alll the nonprofits involved in a short sprint for gifts. It has morphed into something that I believe is destructive for healthy nonprofits. It's creating a dependence on a big organization and making the Scarcity Mindset the paradigm. We need to break that. Listen in to my totally biased take on this!

Jim Mueller of JMuellerandassociates.com is a consultant in Florida who has published a book all about defining the roles you need on your board, finding the right people, then assuring they have a good experience on the board. It's a great read, and Jim tells us a few gems in this interview.

There is risk of all kinds that we must prepare for. Risk can be not only bad, but also good. We should be prepared for anything that may come the way of our organization. Let's plan ahead!

For fun, I hammer out a few annoying clichés in this episode, and then focus on the real reason we do strategic planning: because we can't afford not to.

How do you do strategic planning with your nonprofit board, staff, and stakeholders when the future is so unpredictable? Plan for a lot of different possibilities - both the bad ones and the good ones! 

How are you relating to your donors? Are you doing it on their terms or on yours? You'll have a lot more success if you listen to donors... and then tell their story to the rest of the community. Donors need to be engaged on their own terms, and it really helps when we listen to what they have to say about our organizations. You'll hear why they love you, not why you love yourself!

Risk management is a really important part of what a board should be doing. We need to think of what CAN go wrong, not what might go wrong that we're pretty sure we can manage. The pandemic has shown that we need to think about the worst, and build it into our future plans.

This is the Covid-19 episode.  How to you move ahead now? What can your organization - staff, board, and funders do to get to the other side of this unimaginable chasm? This episode will give you a few ideas to get people unstuck and start moving. Bonus content: soothing creek soundtrack in the background.

I tend to err on the side of kindness - I presume everything is going okay. What I know, however, is that we have to be on the lookout all the time for problems on the horizon. In this episode I investigate what it means to be a board member skeptic. A guardian of the mission and protector of the good. Sounds pretty righteous. Check it out!

Are you building your board with an eye to the next 2 - 7 years? What programs do you have coming up? What growth? A capital campaign maybe? This is a story about an organization that started with a vision on the back of a napkin eight years ago, that is now proactively building their board for future success. Strategic planning, governance, leadership, and followership all play a part.

The first time you become the chair of an organization can be daunting. You've watched someone else manage the nonprofit, so should you just do it that way? This episode talks about the wide range of chair styles, and how you can make a difference. You were chosen to lead, so do it the way that feels right to you. Don't be afraid to stir it up!

We are involved in nonprofit work usually because we're passionate about a cause. Because of that, one might think we'd speak passionately. With verve and style, not with terror and sweat. But public speaking is still... speaking in front of large groups. In this episode I'll help with a few tips on how to get up and seize the moment, pace your presentation, and assure people leave with a good impression.

Nonprofits are usually filled with all kinds of excitement, because we do it from passion. Action without some kinds of procedural overlay, however, can lead to messy or even disastrous unintended consequences. We need both process and procedure thinkers and action figures to get it all done. How do they work together? Listen to this episode to get some ideas.  

This episode is a mix of good things. Partly it's about when to get stuff done - don't fundraise when people aren't in a giving mood, but do throw parties when people can attend! It's also about the Big Ask - timing, remembering past promises, and making sure you have another person from your board and staff to keep you on track. Check it out!

Tough question: have you outlived your usefulness on a board? Have you lost the passion as a staff member? Nonprofit is different from for-profit in yet another way: if you've lost the thrill, it's time to step aside and make room for new blood, for others excited to carry the organization to the next level. This episode deals with endings, loss, beginnings, and bright futures. Figure out when it's time to make some space.

Two Scoops! This is two topics in one episode, both dealing with your board and money. First is the issue of the old term Give, Get, or Get OFF! Your board should be involved in not just getting gifts, but giving every year as well. We dive into the nuance. Second is setting a gift policy for your board and organization. Check it out!